Vanilla Bean Poppy Seed Cupcakes

I love anything vanilla bean...and during the spring, I always think of poppy seeds...so, I married the two together to make one delicious cupcake.


This recipe makes about 1.5 dozen cupcakes.



Shopping List
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened plus another 1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
2 eggs
1 vanilla bean, split down the center
4 teaspoons poppy seeds (divided)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon or so of milk


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line 1 (12-count) muffin tin with cupcake liners and then a second muffin tin halfway full of liners (you will yield about 18 cupcakes). Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt with a whisk. Set aside.

In a second mixing bowl, beat with an electric mixer 2/3 cup of softened butter with the sour cream, and eggs. Slowly beat the flour mixture into this bowl. Once incorporated, beat in half of the seeds from your vanilla bean (reserve the other half for the frosting) and 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds.

Pour batter into prepared cupcake liners (batter will be nice and thick) and bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one cupcake comes out clean.

Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat 1/2 cup of softened butter with powdered sugar and milk. Add more powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin and more milk if it's too thick. Once frosting reaches desired consistency, beat in the other half of the seeds from your vanilla bean and two teaspoons of poppy seeds. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Store in the fridge when you're not enjoying.


Vanilla beans plus poppy seeds equals the perfect cupcake. These would make excellent treats for your Easter too. Enjoy!